Mar. 27, 2015 | By Simon
Thanks to the expansive possibilities of microcontrollers paired with the low-cost and customizable process of 3D printing various housings and parts, many existing products can be made from scratch for tens - if not hundreds or thousands - less than their brand-name counterparts.
One example of how microcontrollers are liberating makers and allowing them to create their own functional product designs is with the recent NFC Door Lock with the Qduino Mini. The door lock, which uses your smartphone to unlock it rather than a key, is similar to others that can cost upwards of $200 just for a single unit.
The project was created by the makers of the Qduino Mini, which was recently funded on Kickstarter. The extra-small microcontroller, which is Arduino-compatible and one-hundred percent open source is considered to be an all-in-one Arduino microcontroller that is capable of both charging as well as graphically telling a user when it needs to be recharged.
The NFC Door Lock with the Qduino Mini project is a perfect example of how the board can be used - both in-terms of the battery and its compact size.
To begin with, the parts need to be sourced from both Adafruit and SparkFun which are estimated to cost $91 total including the Qduino Mini. Additional parts include an Adafruit NFC Shield, an 850mAh Lithium Polymer Battery, a Medium Full Rotation Servo and Right Angle Male Headers, among others. Additionally, access to a 3D printer and common workshop tools such as a hot glue gun, a soldering iron, an X-ACTO knife and wire are needed to complete the project.
Once the parts have been acquired, the 3D model files can be downloaded directly from the project’s Thingiverse page. In total, there are 4 parts total to print out including a round mounting plate, a servo head, servo mounting blocks and the NFC and Qduino Mini housing. According to the project page, all parts can be printed in under two to three hours using a Bukito 3D printer.
Once the housing parts have been 3D printed, the wires and other hardware parts can be soldered at this stage. Once this is completed, users can download the necessary codes from the project page and install them onto the board.
Next, the servo is mounted to the door which is then followed by the rest of the assembly. To further secure the unit, Velcro can be used and by doing so, the unit can easily be removed if it ever needs to be reprogrammed, debugged, or charged.
If all went okay, the NFC Door Lock with Qduino Mini should be able to work with existing smartphones. While the campaign has since ended, you can stay updated on how to get a Qduino Mini by still heading over to their Kickstarter page.
Posted in 3D Printing Applications
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